FIG. 1 shows a typical computer configuration. The basic computer is comprised of electronics 1, display 2 and keyboard 3. The electronics component will typically contain storage devices, such as hard drive 4, floppy drive 6, and optional cartridge drive 8, and other similar storage devices.
These computers use a variety of electronic storage media like hard disks 4, floppy disks 7, cartridge disks 9, tapes, CD's and more. Typically a user will have a primary drive 4 from which the computer boots. A "Boot" volume will have a form of system code stored on it which gives the computer critical information that the computer needs to operate. In most cases the system code is located on hard disk 4 that is kept with the computer along with other important files and applications the user wants immediate access to.
Consumers have a wide variety of choices for storing files on other media. Often additional storage space is needed for additional files, arching old files or backing up the software from their primary disk. These forms include non removable type media like other hard disks and networked volumes or removable media like floppies, cartridges, tapes and CD's. With removable media, the user has many removable disks or cartridges. Only one such disk can be inserted and be on-line at any given time. The remaining disks are all off-line and thus not directly accessible to the computer. With the typical users' storage space requirements increasing, people need to use cataloging programs on their computer to help keep track the location files on various forms of removable media.
Traditional methods for tracking files located off the main volume of a computer has been to obtain a stand-alone cataloging program. First one launches the program and sets up the catalog format. Then each piece of off-line media is cataloged one at a time. When the cataloging is complete the the user exits the program.
To search the entries in the catalog one launches the cataloging program and starts the search. Once the desired file is located, the user notes the location and quits the program. The user locates and inserts the proper disk into the computer. Once attached the user finds the file and loads it. With this traditional method of cataloging, a user must be familiar with the cataloging program and the interface in which the entries in the catalog are kept. Because the cataloging programing is a separate program, it has an interface with commands that are different from the computer's operating system and there is a learning curve associated with using it. Most people require a more convenient mechanism for finding and accessing off-line material.
With the traditional method of cataloging the catalog is only as current as the last time the program was launched and all media recataloged manually. A user must dedicate a certain amount of time periodically to maintain the catalog.
It is desirable, therefore, that off-line cataloging be more convenient and operate in transparent fashion for the user with little or no direct interaction between the use and the cataloging program. The subject matter of the present invention provides such a cataloging function.